IBM Unveils Next Generation Smart Cloud Platform for Business

Clients get the economics of IBM's existing cloud services with an extended choice of delivery models and enterprise features

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, - 07 Apr 2011: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled its next generation IBM SmartCloud, an enterprise-class, secure cloud specifically created to meet the demands of businesses. 

To accelerate the shift from experimentation, development and assessment to full scale enterprise deployment of cloud, IBM is building out its existing cloud portfolio with IBM SmartCloud, enterprise cloud technologies and services offerings for private, public and hybrid clouds based on IBM hardware, software, services and best practices. 

As part of this announcement, IBM is demonstrating a next-generation, enterprise cloud service delivery platform currently piloting with key clients and available later this year.    For the first time, enterprise clients will be able to select key characteristics of a public, private and hybrid cloud to match workload requirements from simple Web infrastructure to complex business processes, along five dimensions, including:  

·         Security and isolation

·         Availability and performance

·         Technology platforms

·         Management Support and Deployment

·         Payment and Billing

The IBM SmartCloud includes a broad spectrum of secure managed services, to run diverse workloads across multiple delivery methods both public and private. It includes customer choice with the potential for end-to-end management of service delivery from the server and operating system to the application and process layer. 

“The new IBM SmartCloud allows for the best of both worlds – the cost savings and scalability of a shared cloud environment plus the security, enterprise capabilities and support services of a private environment,” said Erich Clementi, senior vice president, IBM Global Technology Services. “In thousands of cloud engagements, we have discovered that enterprise client wants a choice of cloud deployment models that meet the requirements of their workloads and the demands of their business.” 

This level of choice and control translates into capabilities customized to your needs and priorities, whether you’re deploying a simple web application, an ordering logistics system or a complete ERP system. 

The new IBM cloud can enable organizations, their employees and partners, to get what they need, as they need it – from advanced analytics and business applications to IT infrastructure like virtual servers and storage or access to tools for testing software code - all deployed securely across IBM’s global network of cloud data centers. 

The IBM SmartCloud has two implementation options: Enterprise and Enterprise +. 

-          Enterprise – Available today and expanding on our existing Development and Test Cloud allowing customers to expand on internal development and test efforts with reduction of application development tasks from days to minutes via automation and rapid provisioning with over 30% reduction in costs versus traditional application environments. This offering is available immediately.

-          Enterprise + -- To be made available later this year, Enterprise + will complement and expand on the value of Enterprise, offering brand new capabilities provide a core set of multi-tenant services to manage virtual server, storage, network and security infrastructure components including managed operational production services. 

More Details Here in IBM Press release